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Photo copyright: Jeff Bale
This special tour to Brazil, a land of staggering beauty,
focuses on the unique gardens and public works of the late
Roberto Burle Marx, one of the great landscape architects of
the 20th century. Starting in Rio de Janeiro, one of the
world's great cities, we visit some of Burle Marx's best
gardens and landscapes, including his own magical estate and
studio near Rio and private properties rarely open to
visitors. We see fine examples of his very distinctive work
in the mountains around Petropolis, in Belo Horizonte, home
to the fascinating 1940s Pampulha complex, and in Brasilia,
the nation's capital city -- a Mecca for Modernist
architecture and design. The tour continues in Sao Paulo,
where we see examples of work by a new generation of
Brazilian landscape architects who, like many designers
around the world, have been greatly influenced by Burle
Marx. Brazil, of course, has a rich and fascinating
history, and we include a two-night stop in Ouro Preto, one
of the country's best-preserved colonial towns and a UNESCO
world heritage site. In putting together this
custom-designed tour we have worked closely with the Burle
Marx office in Rio de Janeiro. They have helped us gain
unique access to gardens seldom seen other than in
photographs. This tour thus represents a rare opportunity
to see some of Burle Marx's most exciting and renowned
gardens.
Land Tour Price:
12 Nights -- $4750.00 (all flights within Brazil are
included in the land price; international flights are not
included. Please check with our office before booking
flights)
Single supplement: $795.00
Meals included: all Breakfasts (B), 3 Lunches (L), 2 Dinners
(D)
Limited to: 16 members.
Travel Documents: American citizens need a
visa when traveling to Brazil. Please check with your
nearest Brazilian consulate or the Brazilian embassy in
Washington DC for further information.
ITINERARY
March 6 (Tuesday) -- Depart
Depart on your overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro.
March 7 (Wednesday) -- -- Arrive Rio de Janeiro,
Botanic Gardens, and Corcovado
On arrival in Rio de Janeiro, the 'Marvelous City,' we
transfer to our hotel in the city's smart Ipanema district.
After some time to relax, we visit the city's botanical
garden, with its stately 200-year old palms and 5,000
different plant species, and then take a funicular railway
ride to Corcovado, the 120-foot figure of Christ the
Redeemer -- the famous symbol of Rio de Janeiro overlooking
the city. We return to the hotel and meet this evening for
cocktails and a welcome dinner. (D)
March 8 (Thursday) -- Sitio Burle Marx and Instituto
Moreira Salles
This morning we head along the ocean highway, past lush
Atlantic tropical forests, to the former house and gardens
of Roberto Burle Marx in Barra de Guaratiba. Our tour of
the estate, which Burle Marx bought in 1949 to store his
large collection of plants, will include the magical
gardens, his art-filled, ranch-style house and studio, and a
chapel dating back to the 16th century. After lunch, we
return to Rio de Janeiro and visit the Instituto Moreira
Salles cultural center, a former residence with a charming
garden designed by Burle Marx in 1951 and recently restored.
(B)
Photo copyright: Jeff Bale
March 9
(Friday) -- Tour of Burle Marx's Public Gardens and
Landscapes in Rio de Janeiro and a Private Burle Marx Garden
We spend this morning touring the landscapes, parks, and
public spaces of Roberto Burle Marx, including the
groundbreaking Ministry of Education and Health building
roof garden, Flamengo Park, the Museum of Modern Art, and
Copacabana Promenade. After lunch at one of Rio's best
Churrascuria restaurants, we visit the garden of a private
weekend residence in Tijuca Forest, the world's largest
urban woodland, which Burle Marx designed in situ in 1974.
Laid out around a delightful low-slung house in a clearing
in the forest, the lush garden features fine borders,
densely planted shrubs, a stream, and a natural swimming
pool. After returning to the hotel, there'll be the
opportunity to pay an optional evening visit to hear live
Samba music. Night in Rio de Janeiro. (B,L)
March 10 (Saturday) -- Three Private Burle Marx
Gardens
After an early breakfast, we journey into the mountains
surrounding Petropolis, Brazil's former imperial city, now a
popular resort with a refreshing climate and magnificent
views. We see three of Burle Marx's most famous private
gardens -- the first a terraced garden carved out of a steep
sloping site; another with bold mass planting, winding
paths, curvilinear water features, and a magnificent valley
setting; and the third a characteristically striking design
laid out around a magnificent Oscar Niemeyer house. We
return to Rio de Janeiro. (B)
March 11 (Sunday) -- Free in Rio de Janeiro
Today is set aside for free time for personal sightseeing,
shopping, or simply relaxing on the beach. You might also
want to stroll through the colorful weekly craft market
close to the hotel. Night in Rio de Janeiro. (B)
March 12 (Monday) -- Private Burle Marx Garden
An early start this morning for our excursion to a remote
private estate, a former coffee plantation, on the edge of
the mountainous Itatiaia National Park, where we see another
memorable Burle Marx garden with cascades, pools, and bold
hardscapes. Included in our visit will be lunch with the
delightful owner, who will also show us around the
farmhouse. Return to Rio de Janeiro. (B,L)
March 13 (Tuesday) -- Fly to Belo Horizonte, CACI, and
Ouro Preto
Following breakfast we make our way out to the airport for
our flight to Belo Horizonte, from where we journey by bus
to the Contemporary Art Centre of Inhotim (CACI). Designed
by Luiz Carlos Orsini, this private museum is a stunning
combination of art, architecture, and landscape, comprising
a complex of white buildings arranged around three
artificial lakes and embellished with dramatic plant
compositions. Then we transfer to Ouro Preto, arguably
Brazil's most beautiful town, situated high in the hills of
Minas Gerais. Ouro Preto was at the center of the gold rush
in the 18th century, a fact attested to by the wealth of
wonderfully ornate Baroque buildings that line
the city's quaint cobblestone streets. Night in Ouro Preto.
(B,L)
March 14 (Wednesday) -- Ouro Preto
We spend the bulk of the today with a local guide
exploring the delightful old town of Ouro Preto, little
changed since the 18th century. Night in Ouro Preto. (B)
Photo copyright: Jeff
Sainsbury
March 15 (Thursday) -- Belo Horizonte and Fly to
Brasilia
Leaving Ouro Preto, we travel to Belo Horizonte,
Brazil's third largest city, to see sites associated with
Burle Marx, including the recently-restored Mangabeiras
Park, the Usiminas building, and the incredible Modernist
Pampulha complex designed in the1940s in conjunction with
architect Oscar Niemeyer. We then board the plane for our
evening flight to Brasilia, Brazil's capital city known for
its Modernist architecture and design. Night in Brasilia.
(B)
March 16 (Friday) -- Brasilia
We spend today exploring the buildings, plazas, and
public works of Niemeyer and Burle Marx, including the
magnificent Palacio do Itamaraty and Cathedral
Metropolitan. We also visit the TV Tower for fine views of
this fascinating city, work on which started in 1957 and was
completed in only three years. Night in Brasilia. (B)
March 17 (Saturday) -- Sao Paulo
This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to
Sao Paulo. On arrival, we pay a visit to the gardens
surrounding the Bank of Boston, one of the city's most
acclaimed contemporary landscapes, designed by landscape
architect Isabelle Duprat, a disciple and former colleague
of Burle Marx. After a brief orientation tour of the city
with a local guide, we check into our centrally located
hotel, and the rest of the day is set aside for individual
sightseeing. (B,D)
March 18 (Sunday) -- Sao Paulo
For those in the group with a morning departure, we transfer
to the airport for your flight home. For those with evening
departures, today's excursion will include visits to sites
associated with Burle Marx and a number of gardens and
landscapes of designers influenced by him. We then make our
way to the airport for the evening flights home. (B)
Included in the
tour price:
-- 11 nights accommodation in first class hotels with
private bathroom
-- tour coach throughout with P.A. system and
air-conditioning
-- internal Brazilian flights: Rio de Janeiro to Belo
Horizonte, Belo Horizonte to Brasilia, Brasilia to Sao
Paulo.
-- entry to all gardens and sites as per the itinerary
-- all breakfasts and other meals as indicated in the tour
itinerary
-- services of tour manager, usually Jeff Sainsbury, from
Rio de Janeiro Airport until departure of return flight
-- tips for hotel porters, bellmen, doormen, waiters at tour
meals, and sightseeing guides
-- arrival and departure transfers (certain restrictions
apply; please ask for details)
Not included in the tour price:
-- transatlantic airfare and airport taxes
-- excess baggage charges
-- personal expenditure such as room service, telephone
calls, drinks, and optional activities
-- meals other than those specified in the itinerary
-- tour manager and driver gratuities
-- travel insurance
-- any other items not specifically included |
